Kaylee Hood Storie
by Lunelle Lovejoy
Summary: Robin and Marian had two children, Conner and Kaylee. Kaylee's entire life is secrets, being with Marian in the castle as she is under house arrest by the Sheriff, and being with her father, brother and Merry Men in Sherwood Forest. Arthurian legend also


For all of my life, I've been in hiding. Not that that's a bad thing. Living in Nottingham castle isn't bad at all; I just have to beware of the sheriff and his right-hand man Sir Guy of Gisborne. They've seen me plenty of times, but they don't know who I really am. No one does, save Maid Marian. Everyone in the castle regards me as another servant, someone to ignore, unless they wish to speak with Marian, then they talk to me. I am her personal servant, one she only is allowed to give orders to.

Yet she still worries about me so. I mostly stick to Marian, for she is, for now, under house arrest by Sheriff. Guy of Gisborne guards her every so often, not because of orders but because of his infatuation with her. I watch him like a hawk; she is married, but Guy wouldn't know that. I am obligated to protect her, for the sake of her dignity.

Who am I really? Well, I am glad you asked. I live not only in the castle, but in Sherwood Forest, my real home, where my brother gets to stay all of the time. The Merry Men are our family, and I would never give them up for any other life. Our compassion for the poor is what drives us to do what we do, which is to annoy the sheriff and Guy by stealing back what they first stole from us and all of the poor people of Nottingham. I will not be settle until King Richard is on the throne once again, and Prince John is disposed of.

Sincerely Yours,

Kaylee Marian Hood,

Marian and Robin Hood's daughter

Kaylee all but ran down the corridor in high expectations, not noting the tall man coming the opposite way. The sudden collision caused Kaylee to fall backward, landing hard on the stone floor with a reverberating thud.

"Watch it, girl!" growled Sir Guy of Gisborne, straightening his jacket as he continued on his way through the castle. His dark eyes usually emitted fear into whatever poor victim crossed his path, but Kaylee paid no attention to the threat. Her feet instead picked up the pace again as she passed through the torch-lit hallway. Once at a heavy wooden door as tall as the ceiling, Kaylee entered silently and stopped short, in awe of who stood before her.

A woman no more than thirty was seated on a cushioned chair with no back to it. Her dark locks cascaded to her lower back like waves in the ocean. The bedchambers were altogether dark, the only light source the sunset that now settled just over the peaks of the mountains, its rays accenting her hair in an angelic glow and casting shadows in the bedroom.

"Shut the door," the woman, Marian, scolded, standing to her feet and facing her daughter. "Lest he decide not to come." The hem of her crimson gown brushed the floor to the timing of her graceful movements. Kaylee had never met a princess, but she was sure that her mother set the standard in her actions and speech. Every tale her mother and Friar Tuck had told her that involved princesses always made her think of Marian.

By what Marian had said, Kaylee knew she spoke of her father, Robin Hood. If he were to be caught, they all would be in great peril in the hands of the sheriff and Guy. She obeyed, and Marian smiled as she stepped forward. "You had better change before he arrives. He does not have much time to depart." Motherly, Marian placed her smooth, fair hand on Kaylee's cheek. Her touch warmed Kaylee from head to toes, like when Robin started a fire and allowed her to sit close, his arm around her shoulders. Sometimes Kaylee wondered if her mother generated warmth naturally, whether through her smile, kindness, joy, or touch. Perhaps all of them, she decided after some thought. It was no wonder her father fell in love with Maid Marian.

No sooner had she packed and dressed in her tunic, leggings, boots, and cloak than a familiar figure appeared on the balcony. "Father!" Kaylee squealed, throwing herself into Robin's awaiting arms. She buried her face into his shoulder, inhaling the scent of the forest that his clothes always carried: pine needles and wood. He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Are you all packed, Bud?"

"Of course!" Kaylee only then remembered to lower her voice. When Robin called her Bud, he meant it as a growing, innocent flower just before it opened to the world, giving a small vision of the beauty to behold after. "Where is Conner?"

"Right here!" The dark-haired boy swung his legs over the balcony and ran into his mother's awaiting arms. Marian had tears sliding down her fair cheeks as she ran to embrace her son.

Kaylee hugged her father's neck tighter. Joy seemed to emanate from Robin's very being, just as it always had. Robin was rather ruddy and looked a bit like a ruffian with the bristles on his face and his clothes a bit torn. Marian was forever mending his clothes and tending to wounds. The girl couldn't help but grin at the man she held in greatest respect, the one who was here for her and always would be. An unspoken, mysterious bond between father and daughter proved stronger than a three-cord rope woven together. No one would—or could—come between them.

Robin patted her shoulder, a signal for Kaylee to fetch her things, and turned his attention to his lovely wife, whom he embraced heartily as soon as Conner moved to help his sister with her things. "I missed you both."

"And we you," she replied, her eyes staring into his longingly. "I cannot bear it when we are apart so long."

He let the silence hang for a moment. "Come with me to Sherwood Forest," he whispered, brushing away some stray hairs from her eyes.

"You know why I cannot." Candlelight cast shadows on their faces, adding to her rejection of the idea. "I have a hard time having Conner with you, or even allowing Kaylee to leave with you. What if they were to be captured or…" Marian couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence. The lady struggled to keep her emotions in check.

"They are in no danger with me," Robin assured her, or at least tried.

"They are in every danger with you," protested Marian, losing control of her temper. "You are the outlaw with a warrant for your arrest just about everywhere you go. I know of the adventures you drag them into."

Her husband shook his head. "I couldn't very well leave them by themselves in Sherwood while I am at work. Besides, our daughter is in as much, if not more, danger with you. You live in the castle with the sheriff and Sir Guy—if they found out who Kaylee is related to, they'd slaughter her before you could even try to get her out. At least in Sherwood Forest she has a chance at escape with me."

Tears sparkling like diamonds brimmed in Marian's eyes, and the woman vainly attempted to hide them by lowering her head. "I detest the risk."

"Then why did you marry me?" Robin teased gently. After he received no response, he placed his hand tenderly on his wife's cheek. "Marian, look at me. Risk is something we all have to take, my love. I have to take it every day, just to protect my family and the people of England."

She nodded and drew in a breath, knowing very well how right he was. "And it is something I would gladly take again, to save the ones I love."

After exchanging good-byes, Marian wrapped her arms around her daughter and squeezed harder than usual. "Do not let your father get you into anything unreasonable."

"I'll be sure to take care of him," Kaylee promised, causing the woman to laugh.

"We both will," chimed in Conner, swinging a pack over his shoulder.

"You do that."

"Come on, Bud." Robin led his daughter to the balcony where a hanging rope awaited with some of his men at the bottom. As usual, they descended the wall without a noise in the darkness. Kaylee deftly gripped the rope and jumped out from the wall, allowing the cord to slide through her fingers momentarily. This time to meet her was Little John.

"Hullo, Lassie," Little John greeted as he helped her to the ground. In the dark she couldn't see his face, but she recognized his deep voice and stout silhouette. His grip was strong on her as he lifted her into the wagon next to a cloaked figure.

"Hullo, Lark."

She couldn't mistake that voice, especially since he used the special nickname for her. "Hullo to you, Will Scarlet." It seemed as though each man in the group had a different name for her, being the only girl around.

Kaylee climbed over the front seat, lay in the wagon, and pulled the heavy blanket over her body. It kept the chilling wind off and hid her more. Only a few moments more Robin and Conner joined her and the wagon groaned to one side, the sign that Little John had seated himself next to Will in the driver's seat. Once the cart straightened out, Kaylee heard the snap of reigns on the rumps of the horses. They lurched forward, and though rocks and bumps in the path jostled the cart, Kaylee found herself drifting off to sleep. She closed her eyes only to rest a moment, but it was then that sleep began pulling her into its arms like a mother would hold her small child. This was how it always went: her whole life was a secret, but that was the price to pay for being Robin's daughter.

(10 years later…)

Kaylee awoke to all sorts of wonders that accompanied Sherwood Forest: smell of pinewood, whistling of birds, humming of Alan a Dale that accompanied the cracking of the fire before him.

The teen crawled out from the bearskin and down the tree to join him, extending her hands for warmth of the flames on this crisp morning.

"Nice fire on a morning such as this, right, Lady?" Alan fine-tuned his instrument, strumming the strings to check his accuracy.

"Aye, 'tis." Kaylee stretched out her hands toward the flames, enjoying the surge of warmth on her fingers. "Where are Father and the rest?"

"Out on a good hunt, I believe."

Her eyebrows rose slightly. "A hunt to fill a stomach or to fill a lack of justice?"

Alan shifted uneasily.

"What is it, Alan?" The woman rested her hand on his shoulder to reassure him that he could trust her.

His eyes, surrounded by slowly coming crow's feet, met hers. "There has been a request for our presence in other lands, to aid King Uther's men in a mystery they have yet to solve."

She was on the edge of her "seat". "What is the mystery?"

He shook his head wearily. "They would not say unless they saw us in person. When I say us, I mean your father. We will have to wait until they get back from the meeting to find out what it is."

Kaylee jumped to her feet. "A real quest!" Before she could start dancing around, Alan put in, "Kaylee, don't get too excited yet. We don't even know what it is."

"Does it matter?" Her green eyes filled with excitement. "King Uther sent for us to help, which means whatever it is, it must be important!"

It was no use arguing with her, Alan knew, especially when her eyes glittered like that.

For half of the day, Alan worked on cooking food, fixing things around the camp, and whatever else he could find to do, all while Kaylee paced and paced, scanning about for any sign of her father's return. Lots of sighing could be heard, as well as the _thwack!_ of arrows flying into a tree, at which Alan only smiled to himself. It wasn't like she needed more practice—Kaylee could shoot better than even her brother, almost as good as her father, since she was eleven. A rare chance it was to see her miss the target. While Conner was a fair shot, he reigned in the arena of fencing. More oft than not, he won against his younger sister, but every once in a while she beat him with a clever move (or pure luck, but she would never deign to admit to it).

Neighing of horses announced the coming of riders. Before they could even start to dismount, Kaylee was next to her father's horse, nagging for details and answers.

"Kaylee, relax for a second and let us take a quick breath before we tell the story." Robin sounded tired, and a bit harsh. His daughter quieted and slinked back, not sure how to respond to him. One by one they went to the fire, Robin first, then Will, John, Much, Tuck, and Conner, the last one giving his sister a grim smile as he walked by. Each person drooped their shoulders and just about collapsed by the fire. Kaylee was hesitant in sitting with them, but Will Scarlet patted the seat next to him. Good ol' Will. Never was too tired to care about others. After some silence and lots of eating what meat was already cooked, Robin wiped his mouth on his sleeve and cleared his throat.

"Today," he began, "we met up with some men that were on their way home to Camelot because of their fatal injuries. We were begged by the leader of the group to gather our weapons and supplies to join Uther's men in solving the mysteries that surround recent attacks on small villages, which all are heading toward Camelot. They are in a random but general path, different types of creatures attacking each time. All witnesses mention a black rider on a white horse that appears, then vanishes as though it was never there; not even tracks are left. As the rider leaves, so does the beast.

"Men, we are needed badly there. All of us are." Robin Hood stood up, commanding attention although he already had it. "We split up, sending word to any and all that have allegiance to Sherwood Forest and call it home. Tomorrow, we ride."

Cheers were all around, and all at once the members of the Merry Men scrambled to get the word out.

"Kaylee," Robin stopped his daughter.

"Yes?"

"Tomorrow, on our way, we shall get you to Nottingham, back to your mother. Be sure to pack your things."

"No!" She argued, "I am going with you!"

He crossed his arms. "This is non-negotiable, Bud. Marian would have my hide if I took you on this mission."

Heat rose in her cheeks. "You take me on every other mission, and those are just as dangerous! What Mother wants has never stopped you before!"

That made him raise his voice as loud as hers, but his was scarier by far. "This has cost many men their lives, and you think that I am going to throw you into the midst of it? Your mother needs you back at the castle!"

"Back where I am a servant that does nothing but cowers and hides in Marian's chamber?"

"You are there to help protect her!" He pointed a finger at her.

"Why don't you do it yourself?"

"I can't be in two places at once, and cannot endanger her like that!"

"Then why can't Conner do it?"

"Conner can't very well be a _maid_servant to Marian."

Her voice lowered considerably. "Conner is going on the quest, isn't he?"

Robin was silent for some time.

Kaylee took a deep breath and pleaded once more, "Please, let me ride with you and fight beside you. I know I can defend myself."

"I do not doubt that at all, Bud." Her father sighed heavily. "But I cannot let you come with us. I am sorry." With that, he went to gather his things, and Kaylee headed to do the same.

"Kaylee, wait up," Conner said, coming alongside her. "I know you are upset, and I tried to reason with him. He is just stubborn… and, you know, Mother needs you with her."

"I understand." She shoved her extra set of clothes, dagger, and whistle into her bag. And what she said was true, but that didn't make her less angry.


End file.
